Regulation Nine ready to surface

If you log onto Reverb Nation, it will tell you that rising stars Regulation Nine (rank #35) sound like Foo Fighters, Nirvana and Red Hot Chili Peppers. While true, front man Rodney Noffsinger is wary of any comparison, no matter how complimentary. “I do not want to be compared to other people or seem to be singing something karaoke. I am ME and that is what I am always going to be. So to give a specific musical influence, I can’t.”

Indeed, it is difficult to assign a single genre. When pressed, he confesses to being “on the harder side of alternative rock.” The guitar playing is ge very aggressive and songs feature heavy, dissonant chords that hit with the blunt force trauma that only a Les Paul can deliver. Adding to the fury is Lee Darby’s athletic drum work.

A long time veteran of the bar/small venue scene, they are currently in label discussions. Make no mistake, this Nashville based band can put the hurt on a set of speakers and likely will do the same to the music charts when its inevitable breakthrough occurs.

Noffsinger took some time on the phone to talk about the band’s background and what lies ahead

What is the significance of the name

RN: I moved to Nashville to do a solo project and I had a friend of mine dream up a logo with my initials. ”We were looking to keep it in the same vein as my name. And there are many rules and regulations in life that everyone has to adhere to so it just seemed to fit

How does being raised in a pentacostal church translate to your ability to play seven instruments

RN: In a small church, there’s a need for people to play multiple instruments since you’re always short on musicians. Multi instrumentalists are a necessity

Do you incorporate any non traditional instruments into the songs

RN: No but some of the progressions are. Our lead guitarist is a classical and jazz trained player that turned rocker overnight. A lot of his chord progressions are not traditional rock but they work very well

Why are you wary of comparisons and citing musical influences

RN: We want to create our own sound. When somebody asks you what you sound like, it’s almost an unfair question. I guess certain parts and peaks of my voice sound like someone, but I want to sound like myself.

How would you describe your sound

RN: I’d say we’re on the harder side of rock alternative. I like the heavier side of rock

Which of your songs would you consider a lead single

RN: Know No is probably our most popular and probably the most impressionable. It takes the bad things that people like. Eeryone has them, whether it’s cigarettes or whatever. If it’s affecting you negatively, you just have to know when to say no. I quit smoking cigarettes a short while ago because of my voice. They probably give my voice its rasp, but obviously they’re not too good for you

How important has social media been in attracting a following

RN: As important as breathing in this day and age. People don’t go out as much. They don’t want to take a chance on seeing someone brand new. If you can touch them first on Facebook and Youtube, you’re way ahead of the game

Since most people associate Nasville with country music, what effect does being based there have on a hard rock band like yours

RN: I’m not here to change Nashville. I’m here to show Nashville that it doesn’t have to be just country. This town has a large rock following

What impact do you hope to have on the musical landscape

RN: We want to give something that is rock. I love everything about it. I want people to know that aggressive music isn’t about smashing stuff. It can be harder edged but I want to show that it’s something that moves your soul. When you go work out, you listen to rock to get you pumped up. It’s an energetic music and I want to impose that on the public. If you came to see a live show of Regulation Nine, I’m on the bars, I’m in your face, coming out and giving high fives. I want you to be a part of a rock show because that’s what rock and roll is to me. It’s involvement.

How do you define success

RN: I love it when people run around with T shirts that say the name of a band or if you’re sitting around a campfire talking about the Top 5 guitar players or bands. I want to make people love something so much that I love, if I can give at least a piece of that to them, then I feel like I’ve been successful.

Do you feel you’d be giving up creative control if you signed with a label

RN: Actually, one of the first things that the label we’re in discussions with said was that they wanted to give the artist control and that was kind of surprising to me. That’s one of the reasons we’re still talking to them. You want to be a part of something. I don’t mind if somebody says… if you do this style of music on this particular song, then you’re selling out. I don’t mind selling out stadiums but I want to be me while I’m doing it.